Saturday 27 July 1940

Saturday 27 July 1940

Raids on shipping and naval units in Dover harbour and Straits.

Weather: Fair Straits, cloudy in Channel. Slight rain in the midlands and the North Sea.

Main Activity:

Shortly before 0800 hours, thirty Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers of I/StG 77, escorted by Bf 109s of JG 27, were despatched to attack the convoy codenamed BACON sailing past Portland. Three Hurricanes from No. 238 Squadron were scrambled from Middle Wallop to intercept and shot down one Ju 87.

At 0945 hours, a second wave of Ju 87 Stukas attacked BACON. Hurricanes from Nos. 145 and 238 Squadrons along with Spitfires from No. 609 Squadron intercepted but they were kept at bay by the escorting Bf 109s. One Spitfire was shot down.

At 1706 hours, six minesweeper trawlers, escorted by the British destroyers HMS Wren and HMS Montrose, were attacked off Aldeburgh by He 111 bombers from KG 53. HMS Wren was sunk and HMS Montrose was damaged.

At 1730 hours, Dover Harbour was attacked again. The British destroyer HMS Codrington was sunk and the depot ship HMS Sandhurst was badly damaged. Six Spitfires from No. 41 Squadron together with twenty-four Hurricanes from Nos. 501 and 615 Squadrons were scrambled to intercept the enemy aircraft. One Hurricane was lost. Following the combat, an He 59 air-sea rescue aircraft was intercepted and shot down.

With the loss of three destroyers, the British Admiralty decided to withdraw all naval ships from Dover and cease using the harbour as an advanced base.